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'Cities for Life' say no to the death penalty

29/11/2013

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(Vatican Radio) Over 1,600 cities are gearing up to say ‘Yes’ to life and ‘No’ to
the death penalty, as part of an annual initiative organized by the Rome-based St
Egidio community. Begun over a decade ago to raise awareness about the campaign to
end capital punishment worldwide, the ‘Cities for Life’ event now includes marches,
meetings and symbolic events in cities right across the globe.

Here in Rome
the three-day programme featured a meeting at the Italian parliament on Thursday,
an international summit of Justice Ministers on Friday and will conclude with a ceremony
for the lighting up of the Colosseum on Saturday November 30th.

While
the list of countries abolishing, suspending, or commuting death sentences continues
to increase, there has also been a number of nations – Gambia, Japan, India, Pakistan
and Iraq - that have reintroduced or increased executions over the past year.

Among
the goals of the St Egidio initiative is to highlight the Church’s care and concern
for the dignity of all people in prison, especially those on death row. Among those
bringing powerful, personal stories of serving as lay chaplain to prisoners on death
row in Florida is lawyer, author and activist Dale Recinella. He shares some of those
stories with Philippa Hitchen....